[Military] Steel Pot Warriors

My fellow recruits and I were super elated to have completed our field training

The Singapore Armed Forces started issuing Kevlar helmet from January 1987 onwards. (1) But when you are a recruit, you will never get the best of anything. Actually, you will get all the remaining army stores. So instead of getting those lightweight Kevlar helmets, the recruits received what the army termed as steel pots. Thinking back, I am glad that we had a chance to own those Vietnam War-like steel pots. To add on to that Vietnam War aura, we were issued with well-worn M16s rifles.

Now back to our steel pots. 

Though it made good memories, these steel helmets were the bane of soldiers. Looking back at all the recruit photos that I'd taken, none of them saw me wearing my helmet. Why?

It was heeeaaavy! It was so heavy that a pioneer soldier of 1967 counted his lucky stars as he was a Sikh and was exempted from wearing the steel helmet. (2)

"The old steel pot helmets were very uncomfortable! In a way I was very lucky because I was wearing a turban! You know, I think their helmets were heavier than my turban! You could actually hear them go 'clang'!" (2)

Source: Army Museum Singapore

The helmet consisted of three parts. One was the plastic inner layer that you wear under your steel helmet, and the other part was the steel helmet itself. The third part was the camouflage cloth. We had to use a thick black rubber band to hold it in its place. The rubber band was also used to slot in leaves and ferns when we were learning how to camouflage ourselves.

For recruits, there were something more that we had to include on our helmets. When we inherited these steel pots on Day 1, we were told to write our names on masking tapes using a black marker and stencils. Once that was done, we had to waterproof it using transparent sticky tape. I was not allowed to use my Christian name, only my initials and my surname, which read W. A. Phuah or in hokkien lingo "I'm Phuah". These initials and surname thingy really embarrassed some people, especially the Chinese. We had K. A. Chng (Bottoms), S.H. Chong (Taxi Chong as taxis' number plates start with SH) and A. H. Lee (Ali).     

The worst time to have these helmets on were in the afternoons with the sun in full glory, and during our Standard Obstacle Course (SOC) where we were asked to do a 50m run, clear eight obstacles, and then complete the entire SOC with a 600m run. Running caused our helmets to wobble back and forth and that caused us great discomfort.

My Buddy and I zoning out after completing our SOC

We were also required to wear our helmets when we were digging our little trenches or what is known as shell scrape. I remember a funny incident where we were told by our sergeant to dig a shell scrape. He gave us an hour to complete our digging. After 30 minutes of digging, and with the helmets giving us grief, I told my buddy that I'll be taking off my steel pot and will just wear the helmet liner. He said in hokkien, " Mai Xiao Lah" or "Don't be crazy". I replied," Nevermind lah, Sergeant not here mah", not knowing that Sergeant Rajah had somehow ghosted into our vicinity and he was just standing behind me. Let just say that the punishment I'd received included running around like a mad man, and strengthening my arm power with countless push ups.

So as a tribute to all soldiers past and present, whether it was steel pot or Kevlar helmets, thank you for your dedication and for protecting our homeland. Have a good SAF Day.

Training to be soldiers, fight for our land
Once in our life, two years of our time.
Have you ever wondered, why we must serve
Because we love our land, and want it to be free, to be free. 


References

1. Cyber Pioneer Issue 109 (Nov 1986).
2. Army Museum Singapore. Retrieved on July 1, 2014. http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/mindef_websites/atozlistings/army/microsites/armymuseum/stories/Personal_Stories/The_Swinging_60s/Karam_Singh.html


Other references
1. Remember Singapore. Once in our life. Retrieved on July 1, 2014. http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/once-in-our-life-two-years-of-our-time/

2. Run-down of the SOC Course. Retrieved on July 1, 2014. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91xC-JiiudM